System for removing tar oil from sand and method of extracting oil from sand

ABSTRACT

A method of extracting oil from sand. The method includes extracting a mass containing sand and oil and translating the sand and oil to a mixing tank. A solution containing terpenes is injected into the mixing tank using an eddy pump and the eddy pump creates a vortex within the mixing tank in order to separate the sand from the oil. The separated sand and oil is then moved from the mixing tank to a separation tank wherein pumps in the mixing tank continue to act upon the sand and oil to separate the two apart so that a water and sand mixture is in an upper portion of the mixing tank while oil is translated to a bottom portion of the separation tank. The sand and water can then be translated to an accumulation tank while the oil is taken to a collection tank for use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to extracting oil. More specifically, this invention relates to extracting oil from sand using a multi-step process.

Oil sands also known as tar sands are well known in the art. Specifically, in certain places in the world such as Alberta, Canada, oil has covered beaches and sand wherein the oil and sand have combined together. Specifically, oil sands are actually deposits of bitumen, a tar-like viscous oil. While these oil sand deposits contain a large amount of oil problems exist with providing a cost effective manner in which the oil can be removed from the sand so that the oil removal may be profitable. Specifically, at this time about two tons of the sand must be dug up, heated and refined to make a single barrel of oil.

One problem in the art exists in that bitumen represents only about ten percent to fifteen percent of the actual oil sands found on these beaches. The remaining eighty to eighty-five percent is clay, rock and ordinary sand along with just enough water to make the oil sand difficult to handle. A big part of the costs is all the energy needed to boil the sands and unlock the crude oil wherein in the current art natural gas must be used during the process. Currently, depending on the process used, it takes from half a million to one million cubic feet of natural gas to produce a barrel of bitumen. Because natural gas also is a limited resource, this is an unacceptable amount of use of natural gas.

Another part of the problem with the current art of extraction is the health to the workers that have been exposed to the vapors produced from naphtha. Many of the older generation workers are now confronted with health problems from exposure to the petroleum ether used to purge the oil through the boiling sands. Carcinogens and cancer seem to run together, and many articles are found regarding this information.

Additionally, there is a desire to separate oil from sand because the value of commodities that the oil is engulfing. Currently, there is a large demand for clean sand that can be used in concrete and at other eroded beach fronts needing replacement materials. Additionally, oil sand rocks from Alaska, Canada, Utah and other places are rocks that have become ornamental once the oil is extracted and desired by landscapers and private homeowners. In some places the oil tar not only engulfs sand but additionally precious metals such as gold and the like that are desired to be extracted.

Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide an efficient manner of extracting oil from sand and rocks that is both cost effective and minimizes the use of natural gas. Additionally, there is a need in the art to reduce health risks to workers who attempt to recover this oil.

Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a cost effective method of extracting oil from sand.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system that is able to be used to extract oil from sand without using natural gas.

These and other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method of using the system to extract oil from sand. The method includes extracting a mass that contains sand and oil. Next, the sand and oil is translated to a mixing tank wherein a solution containing terpenes are injected into the mixing tank using an eddy pump. Next, the eddy pump creates a vortex within the mixing chamber that in combination with the terpenes causes the sand and oil to separate from one another. At this time, the separated sand and oil are translated into a separation tank wherein the oil drains into a bottom tank while water and sand remain in an upper tank of the separation tank. The sand is then translated to a accumulation tank while the oil is translated to a collector tank to provide both clean sand and the desired oil separate from one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The FIGURE is a schematic diagram of a system used to extract oil from sand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The FIGURE shows a system 10 that is used to extract oil from sand. The system 10 utilizes a first conveyor 12 that conveys a mass 14 through a rotational grid 16. The first conveyor 12 in a preferred embodiment is a feed conveyor. The first conveyor 12 transfers the total mass of materials to be processed into a first segment of the rotational separation grid 16. The mass 14 is comprised of sand, rocks, precious metals and other material that is engulfed and coated with an oil or oil tar substance.

The rotational grid 16 in and a preferred embodiment is a continuous rotational grid that is engineered as a ten foot diameter by twenty foot length per separation section. Each section ensures all separated materials to be discharged in the twenty foot distance provided, allowing separation to occur with precise accuracy. Each segment of the continuous rotational grid 16 becomes larger in spacing distance or separation of the bars allowing first and the next size of rock to depart the grid from its respective section. The rotational grid 16 breaks the mass 14 down so that a screen 18 may be used in order to separate smaller particles of the sand and oil 20 or sand engulfed in oil as compared to larger particles such as rocks 22 engulfed in oil or precious metals within oil.

The sand and oil 20 is then conveyed to a hopper 23. All materials that are separated in the first segment of the rotational grid 16 are directed to the hopper 23 that in a preferred embodiment is a feed hopper. The hopper 23 is electrically connected to a computer 24. The computer 24 preferably is a logic computer that controls all functions of the operational equipment. A transfer from programmed office computers to link to the Logo are pre-programmed to operate the specific timing and events to occur based on the data generated and can be altered by accessing main frame computer linked to the Logo.

Computer 24 is also known as the boss computer. Other computers are driven by the boss 24 to work with the algorithm programmed into all combined computers and work together as one. All events are common to the twenty-four hour clock or better known as military time in programming the sequence of events. All systems or partial systems can be deactivated at any time in the event an emergency would occur.

The computer 24 meters materials at the hopper 23 so that they are fed automatically via the second conveyor 26 at an appropriate time to a mixing tank 28.

Only the first separation grind materials (sand and oil) are allowed to be directed to the mixing tank 28 and the remaining grid-size materials remain on the specific conveyor that collected the different size of materials and screened out within that specific section. Specifically, rock and precious metals are now separated out of the sand and oil wherein rocks one half inch in size or greater pass out of the end and onto at least one separate conveyor for piling. If desired at this time, the rocks may be hand separated. However, once arranged, the rocks are then moved toward the high-pressure tunnels 30 for oil removal using terpenes added under high pressures while the oil and sand are in the hopper 23 when the computer 24 signals at the mixing tank 28.

The high-pressure tunnels 30 are enclosed by a plastic or stainless steel hood that encompasses the entire conveyor belt. As the rocks progress at a reasonable speed past the rotational high-pressure wash tips, the oil is cut using only terpenes at a predetermined pressure. In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined pressure is 5500 pounds per square inch of pressure at several strategic locations at a rate of two to four gallons per minute per nozzle. The runoff oil, water and terpene, or solution containing terpenes, is then conveyed to the collection tank 32 wherein this solution is used within the mixing tank 28. The terpenes are not used again through the high pressure pumps to minimize contamination and the possibility of damaging the pumps.

While the oil, water and terpenes go into a collection or storage tank 32 the rocks that are separated from the oil go to a high-pressure rinsing area 34 for one final cleaning. The high-pressure rinsing area 34 provides pressure pumps that are operated at a predetermined water pressure. In a preferred embodiment, this water pressure is 5500 pounds per square inch. The rocks are then air dried and placed under a precious metal detector 35 to detect precious metals. If precious metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron or the like are sensed, the conveyor is automatically disabled and an audible alarm is activated to notify operators of precious metals being detected. Once the identifiable metal is hand selected, the conveyor can be reset to automate once again. If any one conveyor detects metal only, the sensing conveyor shuts down allowing all other processes to continue as normal. If there is no response from the operator after a predetermined amount of time, such as five minutes, the grid 16 stops after that predetermined amount of time.

After the precious metals are removed, the remaining rocks are taken to a stock pile 36 for final distribution. The final conveyor is elevated to ensure large accumulation of specific sized rock. The purpose of the stockpiles 36 is for resale of environmentally safe products are returned back to an area that has been cleaned and ready for later use.

Next, the oil and terpene mixture within the storage tank 32 is injected into the mixing tank 28 using eddy pump 38. The eddy pump creates a vortex that when used in combination with the terpenes is able to separate the sand and oil 20 from one another. The eddy pump 38 is unique in the power of the pump used to circulate and agitate the tar oil and sands. By creating the vortex inside the mixing tank 28 wear and breakdown of component parts is prevented due to the design making the mixing tank 28 unique. The eddy pumps 38 are also able to pump a 1:2 ratio of water to sand and keep the sand in suspension. This is greater than present demand requests and what can presently be accomplished. This result occurs because more efficient functioning is provided as a result of the use of the eddy pump 38 within mixing tank 28.

The eddy pump 38 in a preferred embodiment is a boss pump that is located within the primary separation mixing tank 28. In one embodiment, multiple eddy pumps can be used. The boss or main pump 38 acts as an agitator and transfer pump working together to process and transfer the separated oil and sand. Magnetic contactors activate the pumps and are linked with the computer program of the computer 24. The pumps 38 are controlled to operate at specific times programmed by the computer 24 as required for each application. Also mounted to the pumps 38 are colliders. Colliders are collars that are mounted in line of the piping and on the pressure side of the pumps 38. The colliders have internal, vertical and horizontal stainless steel bars that are solid and in a preferred embodiment have a one-half inch diameter. These bars allow the sand to collide and generate friction, which produces heat.

Once separated, a valve 40 that is electrically connected to the first computer 24 can be opened to provide a fluid flow path from the mixing tank 28 to a separation tank 42. The separation tank 42 comprises an upper tank 44 and lower tank 46 that are connected via drains 48. The telescopic drains 48 are combined between the upper tank 44 (mixing and separation) and lower tank 46 (transfer of collected oil) that makes up the separation tank 42. The telescopic drains 48 are designed to be elevated above the top of the tank when out of service and lowered to allow the oil to drain above the top of the sand into the lower tank 46. The telescopic drains 48 are also programmed into the computer sequence of events to cycle at the appropriate time for both lowering and elevating again for the next batch to be processed. Current sensors are used in combination of load when lowering and elevating to ensure motors activate off when load is applied and drains are at the lowest and highest points of movement.

The separation tank also has an agitator worker pump or AWP 50 and a transfer worker pump TWP 52 associated therewith. The AWP and TWP 50 and 52 are electrically connected to and actuated by the computer 24 that is also in electric communication with valve 40. All AWP (agitator worker pumps) are also equipped with the colliders and are located on the pressure side of the discharge and never on the inlet side. As a result, very high temperatures can be generated by the colliders and within the circulated materials based on circulation time.

As many as six colliders may be installed on the pressure side of the agitator pumps for accelerating the cleaning effect of the oil from the sands. Terpenes are also used to saturate the oil and sands to the saturation point to help break down the oil that is bound to each grain of sand. Only thirty percent of the total mass is required to be fully saturated by the terpene addition for a series of eight extractions. Separation of the oil from the sand occurs within seconds after passing through the colliders and in contact with the terpenes thus accelerating the extraction process compared to previous method using natural gas heating and boiling as a result of naphtha injections.

In one embodiment when systems are shut down, the AWP pumps 50 start the systems back up and resume normal activities. In the event of main shut down, the programmed computers reactivate the AWP pumps 50 first and then restart the TWP pumps 52 so that there are no conflicts that would prevent the system from working as designed.

The AWP 50 and TWP 52 continue to work upon sands that have oil remaining thereon that has not separated. Then, oil seeps to the lower tank 46 through drain 48 while water and sand remain in the upper tank 44. An elevated drain 56 then translates the water and sand to an accumulation tank 58 for storage wherein the accumulation tank 58 provides water for the high-pressure rinsing area 34.

The water and sand accumulation tank 58 is also equipped with elevated drains 59 better positioned at a higher elevation. The elevation drains 59 allow for any surface oil to be drained away in the event that a film develops after transferring cleaning waters to the accumulation tank 58. The tank that the surface oils would be transferred by gravity as the point of entry is at a level higher than the elevation for storage of the collected surface oils to a lower elevation. Sand is also transferred during the transfer of the water that elevates the liquid level by its displacement amount. The water that must be drained off the displacement of the sand is controlled with a sensor that detects the water level before the water will run out of the elevated drains. In the event that the water level becomes less that fifty-five percent of the accumulation tank 58 capacity, the entire tank is then vacated and starts over.

The sands that are transferred utilizing the waters are perfectly white without discoloration. The water can then be collected, filtered and reused to partially restore the accumulation tank 58 for transfer back to the separation tank 42 for rinsing additional sands as well as for the rocks and minerals that pass on the conveyor at the high-pressure rinsing area 34. When necessary to move sands and waters from the accumulation tank 58, the AWP 50 and TWP 52 are used to agitate and transfer the total accumulations.

Once a predetermined amount of sand is within the accumulation tank 58, the clean sand can be moved to a remote location 60. While the water and sand is translated to the accumulation tank 58, the oil in lower tank 46 can be translated using transfer worker pump 52 into a collective tank 62 for storage. Residual oil is transferred when the collection tank 62 is near full and ready to be sent to the refinery. The collective tank 62 can provide a secondary cleaner solution to further refine the oil as needed.

In a preferred embodiment, the collective tank 62 is a secondary cleaner solution tank. The first process utilizing the rinsed terpenes generated from washing the rocks of oil is used eight more times for the final collection of oil from the sands. Each time the terpenes are used, they become more viscous with tar collection. The system 10 is able to provide eight extractions by utilizing the colliders and the more viscous liquids by the temperature and power that is generated by the eddy pumps 38. The material balance also shows that this may be possible in viewing the percentage of terpenes that remain from the mass that is carried forward, along with the increased amount of liquids/sheet generated by the separation process.

In operation, a mass 14 is placed on a first conveyor 12 and is taken to the grid 16. The grid breaks up the mass 14 into individual components such as rocks, precious metals, sand and oil. The sand and oil 20 is then filtered through a screen 18 and delivered to hopper 23 whereas the rock and oil 22 is delivered to the high-pressure tunnels 30. The hopper 23 then provides the sand and oil onto a second conveyor 26 to be taken to the mixing tank 28. Meanwhile, the rock and oil 22 is cleaned under high pressure using terpenes wherein after the cleaning an oil, water and terpene solution collects within collection tank 32. The rocks meanwhile go to a high-pressure rinsing area 34 for a final cleaning. After the final cleaning, the rocks air dry and are placed under a metal detection system 35 to identify precious metals and the rocks are eventually placed at a stock pile 36. Meanwhile, the solution containing terpenes in collection tank 32 is injected into the mixing tank using an eddy pump 38. Eddy pumps 38 in the mixing tank 28 cause agitation of the sand and oil within the mixing tank 28. The AWP pump 38 creates a vortex within the mixing tank 28 that in combination with the terpenes causes the oil to separate from the sand.

After cleaning, the computer 24 actuates transfer valve 40 to provide the separated sand and oil mixture to the separation tank 42. At the separation tank 42, an AWP and TWP 50 and 52 continue to act on the sand and oil to continue separation between the oil and sand. Elevation drains are then actuated to take the oil off of the water and sand solution within the upper tank 44 and translate the oil to the lower tank 46. The water and sand can then be drained from the upper tank and taken to the accumulation tank 58 while the oil is pumped using TWP 52 to a collective tank 62. In a preferred embodiment, this process is repeated eight times or through eight batches.

Using the present system and method, increased efficiency is provided over previous methods. Specifically, one cubic yard of oil sand weighs 2600 pounds wherein fifty-five gallons of crude oil can be extracted. Specifically, crude oil from California weighs 7.6 pounds per gallon and in using that weight would equate to 418 pounds of the total weight of oil per cubic yard of oil sand or sixteen percent of the total mass is crude oil and eight-four percent is sand. By injecting thirty percent of the total mass with terpenes, the material balance of the oil sands has a different consistency. By adding 780 pounds per cubic yard of material to be processed, the balance has been altered by increasing the amounts of liquids per cubic yard. Terpenes weigh in at seven pounds per gallon and therefore using a thirty percent inclusion would add 780 pounds to the liquid, which converts to 111.43 gallons and would absorb into the total mass without expansion and instead would actually collapse the mass to a smaller volume.

With the inclusions of the terpenes added, the material balance is now represented by a heavier weight per cubic yard that is easier to mix after the inclusion is made. The percentages of materials would be affected by the additional fluids added. The cubic yard would now weigh 3,380 pounds in which a total of 1,198 pounds would be liquids after dissolving the oil within the sand. With the oil liquefying the oil contained in the mass, the sand shrinks displacing the total volume allowing the sand to sink as the oil lifts from each grain.

The use of a natural generally rated as safe solution (GRAS) is an absolute to an environmentally friendly extraction process. Terpenes have been recognized as a potential aid in reducing cancer in people. Terpenes which include pinene, nerol, citral, menthol, d-limonene and the like are widespread in nature and have a building block that is the hydrocarbon isprene. Terpenes are effective, non-toxic dietary antitumor agents that act through a variety of mechanisms of actrion and hold promise as an antitumor drug for human cancer. Therefore, by using terpenes, workers that are extracting the oil should experience positive health effects and reduce rates of cancer providing additional safety for the workers.

The density of dry sand is one hundred pounds per cubic foot or twenty-seven hundred pounds per cubic yard. With the weight of oil sands being one hundred pounds less than a normal cubic yard of dry sand, even with the oil present the total weight is affected by its absorption being displaced by a lighter mass being the crude oil.

Realizing the actual weight of a cubic yard of oil sand is equal to 2600 pounds and that 418 pounds is actually oil, changes the amount of sand to 2182 pounds or 21.82 cubic feet and using 100 pounds per cubic feet for the total weight. The oil could only be responsible for 5.18 cubic feet of the total displaced area. However, in knowing that 418 pounds are present and the weight per gallon is 7.6 pounds, the 5.18 is a little on the light side of the scale. If there are 7.48 gallons in a cubic foot, then there would only be 38.74 gallons of crude per cubic yard. However, being that we know there was 418 pounds or 55 gallons tells us that 7.35 cubic feet of displaced area had to be oil. That leaves 19.65 cubic feet of sand or 1,965 pounds per cubic yard.

By adding the terpenes to the crude oil would represent 1.198 pounds of liquids to 1,965 pounds of sand. Converting the weights to mass densities would now weigh 3,163 pounds per cubic yard. With a combined oil from the sands and terpenes added at thirty percent would equate by weight to sixty percent liquids or a ratio of 1:1.64 liquid to sand. In practice, the following is an example of the material balance when using the first batch and then processing an additional seven batches.

10 Cubic Yards of Oil Sands will weigh 26,000 pounds of total mass. 10 Cubic Yards of Oil Sand saturated with 30% D-limonene will weigh 37,979.8 pounds. Contained within the 26,000 pounds of total mass, 550 gallons of crude oil will be found. Crude Oil weighs 7.6 pounds per gallon, for a total of 4,179.82 pounds of oil. 11,979.8 gallons of d-limonene would be added to equate to 30% of total mass. Sand would be represented by 21,820.1 pounds after the oil and terpenes were drained off.

The total amount equal to the terpenes used in the last batch would be increased by the extracted oil weight of 4,179.82 pounds providing 16,159.62 pounds of pre-charge solutions for the second batch to be processed by.

The total saturation of the second batch is exceeded, however the amount of oil sand processed will be the same amount and the oil collected remains similar. Each batch processed after the first batch has an +/−4,179.82 pounds additional liquids for extracting the crude oil from the same batched amount. The liquids used to clean the sand have increased from 30% to 62% for the second batch, 62% to 78% of batch three, 78% to 94% of batch four, 94% to 110% of batch five, 110% to 126% of batch six, 126% to 143% of batch seven, 143% to 159% of batch eight.

Additional extractions are possible, however after eight extractions, only 0.12% of each gallon of crude oil contains the terpenes used from the first cycle. With that small inclusion the quality of oil should be superior and the processing at the refinery should pose no controversy for the reclaimed oil. Therefore, it is possible to clean the oil sands with a hydrocarbon oil along with the Eddy Pumps and the colliders also in place, however the focus is to provide the cleanest sand after extraction and no less than 99.95% of the total oil should be extracted from the sands.

In viewing the costs to extract 41,238.54 gallons of oil from the 174,560.80 pounds of sand, the cost of extraction per gallon would be at or near 0.18 cents per gallon of reclaimed oil or $9.88 per 55 gallons. The 7,799.98 gallons of d-limonene is declared to be the preferred terpene. Including the terpenes the percentage of extraction per cubic yard would be around 23% compared to 16% other methods. The significant part of this invention is the use of the Eddy Pumps 38 in conjunction with the colliders and in dilution with the terpenes being included. The automation of the equipment and with the intentions of this facility being all in house also adds to the comfort of the art.

Thus, provided is a system and method of extracting oil from sand. The method improves and provides an efficient manner in which the oil may be extracted from sand in a cost efficient manner improving upon the state of the art. Additionally, the need to use natural gas has been eliminated and by using terpenes both the safety and health of workers has been improved. Thus, at the very least all the stated objectives have been met.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby. 

1. A method of extracting oil from sand steps comprising: extracting a mass containing sand and oil; translating the sand and oil to a mixing tank; injecting a solution containing terpenes into the mixing tank with an eddy pump; creating a vortex with the eddy pump to separate the sand from the oil; translating the separated sand and oil to a separation tank; translating the sand to an accumulation tank from the separation tank; and translating the oil to a collection tank from the separator tank.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: placing the total mass in a rotational grid to separate sand and oil from rocks and oil; and screening the rocks and oil to send the rocks and oil to a pressure tunnel.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of: adding terpenes to the rocks and oil in the pressure tunnel at a predetermined pressure to extract the oil from the rocks to form the solution containing terpenes; translating the rocks to a high-pressure rinsing area; and translating the solution containing terpenes to a storage tank that is in fluid communication with the mixing tank.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the predetermined pressure is 5500 pounds per square inch.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: providing a hopper that receives the sand and oil of the mass to send to the mixing tank; and providing a computer in electric communication with the hopper to determine the amount of sand and oil translated to the mixing tank.
 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of providing a valve that provides fluid flow between the mixing tank and the separation tank and is in electric communication with and is electronically activated by the computer.
 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of: providing an agitator worker pump associated with the separation tank and in electric communication with and electronically activated by the computer.
 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of providing a transfer worker pump associated with the separation tank to transfer oil to the collector tank.
 9. A system for extracting oil from sand comprising; a first conveyor for translating a mass comprising rock, sand and oil to a rotational grid for separating the sand and oil from the rock and oil; a screen that sends rock and oil to a pressure tunnel and allows sand and oil to pass to a hopper; a mixing tank fluidly connected to the hopper for receiving the sand and oil; an eddy pump within the mixing pump for injecting a solution containing terpenes into the mixing tank and creating a vortex in the mixing tank to separate the oil from the sand; and a separation tank fluidly connected to the mixing tank and having a lower tank connected to an upper tank that are connected via a drain wherein the separated oil drains into the lower tank and the separated sand remains in the upper tank.
 10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a collection tank fluidly connected to the pressure tunnel and mixing tank wherein terpenes are added to the rock and oil to separate the rock from the oil to that oil and terpenes form the solution containing terpenes and flows into the collection tank.
 11. The method of claim 9 further comprising a computer electrically connected to the hopper and electrically controlling a valve that provides fluid flow from the mixing tank to the separation tank.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the computer is in electrical communication with the valve and electrically controls an agitator work pump associated with the separation tank and a transfer pump associated with the separation tank. 